Self-locking insulator and pin.



No. 676,881. Patented lune 25,190l. I H nusmnes SELF LOCKING INSULATUR AND PIN.

(Application filed May 9, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Witnesses. 6. Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY ETHERIDGE, OF MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-LOCKlNG INSULATOR AND PIN.

SEEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 676,881, dated June 25, 1 901. Application filed May 9, 1901. Serial No. 59,376. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY ETHERIDGE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Locking Insulators and Pins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. I

This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in insulators and pins.

The invention has reference to the class of pins and insulators such as are used on commercial telegraph, telephone, electric light, and power lines, wherein great strength is required, particularly at curves and grades or dips; and the object of my invention is to provide a form of insulator and pin that will not only be self-locking, strong, durable, and quickly applied, but will also permit the insulator-to freely rotate on the pin, so as to yield to the great strain placed thereon at'all angles and positions of the line-wires.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown an insulator and pin by which my object may be attained, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved self-locking insulator and tube-pin in position upon a portion of a cross-arm, said insulator beingv shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the tube-pin ,showin g the locking-sprin g therein. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tubepin, having the locking-spring removed. Fig. 4 is .a perspective view of the locking-spring. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of a cross-arm-in section and having my improved insulator and tube-pin arranged therein, said pin being partly in section to illustrate the manner of releasing the locking-spring. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of a crossarm in section havingmy improved insulator and tube-pin arranged thereon, said pin being shown in section to show a variation in the locking-spring. Fig. 7 is a plan View of a pole and cross-arm having my improved insulator thereon and showing the wires connected thereto. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a pole and cross-arm having my improved insulator and tube-pin thereon and showing the wires connected thereto.

In said drawings the numeral 1 designates a form of cross-arm mounted upon asuitable pole 2, said cross-arm being provided with a vertical opening 3 to receive the insulator-pin.

The insulator-pin consists of a metal tube 4, upon the body of which is formed or secured a suitable projection or shoulder'5 to engage the upper surface of the cross-arm around said opening.

A bow-spring or look 6, having the angularly-disposed hooked ends 7 formed thereon, is provided to engage within the tubular pin.

This spring is of such length that the hooked portions will pass over the ends of the tube andis of such curvature or of such shape that the central portion of the body will be engaged against the inner wall of the tube at the opposite side to the hooks.

The insulator 8 is provided with a central opening 9, which terminates in a shoulder or annular recess 10. This recess at the shouldered portion 10 is preferably formed at the same angle as that given to the hooks upon the end of the locking-spring.

- To attach the pin to a cross-arm, the springlock is forced into said tubular pin until both the ends spring out over the edges of the tube, as at Fig. 2. The pin is then forced down intothe cross-arm opening (the hooked end of the spring-lock being forced laterally to permit the entrance of the tube) until the shoulder engages the upper surface of said arm and until the end of the tube is flush with the under side, when the pressure will be released upon thespring, thereby causing the hooked end to spring outward over the edge of the opening and effectually locking the pin to the crossarm. After the pin has been placed in position on the cross-arm the insulator is then forced down over the upper end of the pin until/the edge of the pin comes flush with the edge of the recess or shoulder 10, and the pressure being then relieved at that end of the spring the hooked end thereof will be forced into the recess, effectually locking the insulator to the pin and at the same time permitting the insulator to be rotated in either direction without becoming detached.

- lar pin, through the body of which is placed.

To remove the pinand insulator from the cross-arm, thelo'wer hooked endof thelockjug-spring is forced'inwardly past the edge of the opening in the cross-arm. The spring lock is then forced slightly upward to prevent the hooked end slipping beyond the tube edge, as shown at Fig. Raising.theinsulator will then withdraw the spring from the pin, after which the pin may be easily withdrawn from the cross-arm.

At Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of locking-spring and pin-shoulder, also a different style of insulator, in which 4 is the tubuasmall pin 5 to act as a shoulder or stopwhen forcing the. pinin the cross-arm. In this case the spring is intended only as-alock between the insulator and pin, and consists of'a-flatspring 6, secured atits-lower end-to 'arms of a pole are provided with my im proved insulators and pins in rounding a curve" with the wires 11,- as shown at Fig. 7,-

' the insulators are free to rotate or adjustthemselves to the strain and'surging that occurs in--the lineswhen they are beingerected, also expansion and contraction as-wellas the swaying of the wires, whichin the ordinary form of insulators hasa tendency to unscrew orbind them'so tightly on the pins a'sto cause breaking. It will also be observed that where dips occur in the line, as shown at Fig.8, the tendency is to pull the insulator 01% of th'epin or both from the cross-arm but my invention is admirably adapted against such occu rrences by virtue of the self-locking tend en'cy of both,-as'-referred to intheform-er part w g said pin which is provided with hooks or'an- 105 of this specification. Again, insulators and pins constructed in this manner will withstand severe strains-at any angle or position and are much more durable than those now in use. A

The-detail parts of my improved tube-pin and i-n'su-lator may'be modified in various ways-such as forming a tongue upon the tube or cutting or attaching parts to act as a shoulder, altering the form of groove in Having thus fully shown anddescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A self-locking insulator and pin, comprising a tubular 'pin,'one' end of which is adapted to enter an opening in the cross- 65.

arm, or support, a shoulder or stop on said pin to limit theentrance thereof in said opening, an insulator havingan opening formed .partly therethrough to engage over said pin, and a means of locking said insulator to said pin whereby said insulator may freely rotate thereon without vertically increasing or de-,

creasing its position.

2. A- self-locking insulator and pin, comprising a tubular pin, one endof whi clivis adjusted to enter an opening in the cross- 'arm or support, a shoulderor stop on said pin to limit theentrance thereof in: said open ing, .a-mean's of locking the pin in said sup-- port, an insulatorhaving an opening extending partly therethrough toengage over said pin, andatmeans of locking said'insulator to said pin whereby said insulator may freelyv rotate thereon without vertically increasing or-decreasing its position 3. A self-locking insulator and pin, comprising a tubular pin, one end of which is adapt-ed to enter an opening in the cross.- arm, a shoulder, or stopon said pin to limit 1 the entrance thereof insaid arm, an insulator having an opening therein to engage over said pin, an annular groove or shoulder in I said insulator-opening, and-a sprin'gjarranged' in said pin which is provided with a hooker I angular projection to engage in the shoulder or groove in saidi-nsulator. g

4:. A self-locking. insulator and pin,,com-' prising a tubular pin, one. end; of which is adapted to enter an openfi-n-gin the cross arm, a-shoulder or sto'p onsaid pinitolimit i the entrancethereof insaid arm, anainsulator having an opening therein to engage over .said pin, an annular groove'or shoulder in saidinsulator openin-g, a spring arranged in gular' projections: to engage inthe' shoulder or In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed mysignatu re in th e'p'resen'ce oftwo sub scribing, witnesses. V

g HARRY ETHERIDGE;

Witnesses: I

EDWI WINTERS, GEO-.1 B- H-ERwI-cm 

